Jena Powell

September: Constituent Liaison In-District Office Hours For State Rep. Jena Powell

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Monthly In-District Office Hours

COLUMBUS –
Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) will again be sending a constituent liaison from her Columbus office to be in-district this upcoming Monday, September 9th. No appointments are necessary – individuals and families can feel free to show up and talk to the liaison about any government questions or concerns you may have.

“I know government can be hard to navigate alone,” says Powell. “Our office’s constituent liaison does a wonderful job of helping you work through specific issues. If you want to meet with me personally, as always call our office and we’ll set up a time.”

This Monday, September 9th, a constituent liaison will be at the Troy-Miami Public Library in Troy from 10am-11:30am. Rep. Powell’s constituent liaison will then be at the Arcanum Public Library in Arcanum from 12pm-1:30pm on Monday.

To schedule a personal meeting with Rep. Powell, or if you have any state government concerns you can give our office a call at 614-466-8114 or email Rep80@ohiohouse.gov.

Jena Powell

Op-Ed: Cut the Bureaucratic Red Tape and Fix the Workforce Shortage

/0 Comments/in , , /by

In our community, we know that Ohio is a wonderful place to live. As our Columbus office says when you call in, “It’s a great day to live in Ohio!” 

While we love living in Ohio, there are things we can do to make Ohio a more attractive place to live and work. Right now, we have a workforce shortage in Ohio. One way to help families, businesses, and individuals in our state is through initiating license reciprocity in a way that will cause Ohio’s economic climate to thrive.

License reciprocity says that if you hold an occupational license in another state, you can come and practice that occupation here in Ohio without having to go through the whole education, training, and testing component again. For example, if you are an electrician in Indiana, and you want to work in Ohio and/or move to Ohio, right now you would have to apply for an occupational license in Ohio take a test, pay a fee, and jump through bureaucratic hoops.

The House recently passed temporary license reciprocity for members of the military and their immediate family members. We want to expand this reciprocity for every individual whose license is held in good standing in their state. If we allowed for license reciprocity, that Indiana electrician would need to show Ohio’s licensing authority his Indiana occupational license, and after receiving an Ohio-reciprocal license, would be allowed to practice his trade in Ohio.

Cutting through red tape will allow workers to use their skills, and will encourage businesses and entrepreneurs to move to Ohio. License reciprocity will bring more business and more income to our state. This is something that our office is excited to be researching and working on. If you have any questions, let me know.

-Jena Powell, State Representative

Team Powell

Op-Ed: What Keeps People Coming Back to the Fair — Community

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

As you many of you know, I grew up a 4-H kid. All summer I would have a countdown leading up to the great Darke County Fair. I loved everything about it! Showing my sheep, camping, and spending long days in the showing barns.

I haven’t missed a fair in my entire life, because to me the fair is more than a week of fun; it is what our country is so badly missing – tight-knit community that cheers each other on in the good times and the bad. We can look around and see an epidemic of loneliness far reaching throughout the nation, and it is wreaking havoc on society, especially our children.

Many people have tried to solve this problem of loneliness – some have succeeded and others have not. I’ve learned over time that to receive love, you must be open to giving it. In other words, you must give of yourself in the community before you can be part of a community.

Sometimes it’s hard to know how to give. Maybe the talents, time, or resources aren’t available to you and maybe you just don’t know where to go. I understand that, but community is available because community starts with you.

The fair is almost here. Students in our community have worked long days getting animals and projects ready for the fair. For some of the students this is a huge step outside their comfort zone. Whether it’s showing an animal, running for Jr. Fair Board, or entering a cooking competition, they’ve chosen to put themselves out there in public to win or lose. It’s scary. I remember one year my sheep got loose in the arena and ran all over. I was embarrassed and crying by the end. But because of the encouragement of my parents and leaders around me, I tried again and didn’t give up.

For many students the fair is shaping much of their future, and determines how they react and act in challenging situations. Sometimes all one student needs is a bit of encouragement.

If you’re looking for community, the fair is the place to be. But don’t go looking to be a consumer of community. Go and give back! Volunteer at a local booth, encourage the students, sit in the stands and cheer them on, show up with a smile. Community is all around us and fair season is the time to open our eyes and invest time, love, and a smile.

Together let’s make our community great!

-Jena Powell. State Rep for Ohio 80th house district

    

Looking for a fair schedule or a way to be part? Email or call our office: (614)466-8114 rep80@ohiohouse.gov